This invention relates generally to pressure seals and more particularly to a sealing device for transfer of a thin tape between first and second regions of substantially different pressure.
At the University Isotope Separator at Oak Ridge, (UNISOR), a mass separator is on line with the Oak Ridge Isochronous Cyclotron (ORIC). The cyclotron beam impinges upon various targets in a vacuum system to produce small quantities of short half-life isotopes. At several stages of the operation it is necessary to either introduce or remove a sample into or from the vacuum system. The regular practice has been to either include the entire operation in a single vacuum system or move the samples through a vacuum lock. The first approach, that of a single vacuum system, has the disadvantages of being large and expensive. The second approach, that of utilizing a vacuum lock, has the disadvantages that a long time (greater than 30 seconds) is needed to remove samples, and unless great care is exercised, each time the vacuum lock is used a small amount of air enters the system which slowly contaminates it. Thus, there is a need for a sealing device in which samples may be readily removed from the vacuum system for evaluation without disturbing the collection of other isotopes in the vacuum chamber.